Assaying multiple (125)I seeds with the well-ionization chamber SourceCheck(4π) 33005 and a new insert.

Abstract

PurposeTo provide a practical solution that can be adopted in clinical routine to fulfill the AAPM-ESTRO recommendations regarding quality assurance of seeds used in prostate permanent brachytherapy. The aim is to design a new insert for the well-ionization chamber SourceCheck4π 33005 (PTW, Germany) that allows evaluating the mean air-kerma strength of up to ten 125I seeds with one single measurement instead of measuring each seed individually.Material and methodsThe material required is: a) the SourceCheck4π 33005 well-ionization chamber provided with a PTW insert to measure the air-kerma strength S K of one single seed at a time; b) a newly designed insert that accommodates ten seeds in one column, which allows measuring the mean S K of the ten seeds in one single measurement; and c) a container with ten seeds from the same batch and class of the seeds used for the patient implant, and a set of nine non-radioactive seeds. The new insert is characterized by determining its calibration coefficient, used to convert the reading of the well-chamber when ten seeds are measured to their mean S K. The proposed method is validated by comparing the mean S K of the ten seeds obtained from the new insert with the individual measurement of S K of each seed, evaluated with the PTW insert.ResultsThe ratio between the calibration coefficient of the new insert and the calibration coefficient of the PTW insert for the SourceCheck4π 33005 is 1.135 ± 0.007 (k = 1). The mean S K of a set of ten seeds evaluated with this new system is in agreement with the mean value obtained from measuring independently the S K of each seed.ConclusionsThe new insert and procedure allow evaluating the mean S K of ten seeds prior to the implant in a single measurement. The method is faster and more efficient from radiation protection point of view than measuring the individual S K of each seed.